Baby Braxton
by RainbowWoman
Summary: Just a little oneshot where Brax and Ricky are married and have a baby girl.


Brax was shirtless, fast asleep and gently snoring in the afternoon sunshine of the Braxton family backyard, his surfboard still out where, earlier, he'd been waxing it. He'd worked late at the restaurant the night before and his exhaustion had taken it's toll after a surf, a quiet morning and some lunch. Plus there was the fact that it wasn't easy having a new baby in the house. Running a restaurant and sleepless nights weren't a particularly good combination, so Ricky had taken their little one out for a while to give her man a break. She knew how hard he worked and loved how he provided for their family. But that morning he really had looked like he'd needed some time to himself.

Brax had taken three weeks off work to spend time at home with his wife and new daughter but unfortunately he'd had to go into the restaurant the previous night. A staff member had called in sick and, as the boss, Brax had gone in to cover. It was a busy night with every table full and when he'd finally returned home, he didn't think he'd ever felt so tired in his life. He'd been looking forward to his bed. But his baby daughter had had other ideas. Celina Braxton, the newest addition to the family, had exercised her little lungs for much of the night so neither Brax nor Ricky had got much rest. Ricky had been up numerous times with Celina and after the final feed before morning, Brax had let his wife sleep while he rocked his baby girl in his arms in an attempt to settle her. She'd eventually fallen asleep on her father's chest and Brax had been able to get a few more hours.

Due to his disturbed night, Brax didn't hear Ricky's car pull up in the drive. He was deeply asleep, his mouth ajar. As Ricky came through to the back of the house, she smiled at the sight of her sleeping husband in one of the easy chairs. He looked so peaceful, yet she couldn't help but laugh a little at his soft snores. She ran a hand through his hair before heading inside with their daughter to change her nappy.

Having now sorted Celina and put away the few groceries she'd bought while they were out, Ricky carried her daughter out to the backyard. Brax was still crashed out. She thought to herself how gorgeous her man looked with his shirt off.

'Aww, look Celina, your Daddy's asleep. That's what I'd love you to do at night little one. But look at you falling asleep in Mummy's arms in the late afternoon.'

Brax woke to the sound of Ricky's voice.

'Hey beautiful, you're home', he said, as he stood to his feet and planted a soft kiss on his wife's lips.

He took Celina into his arms and gently rocked her as she settled into her father's embrace.

'Hello sweetheart', he whispered to her while she continued to fall asleep.

He loved the feeling of her soft skin against his bare chest. Ricky smiled at the look of pure contentment on Brax's face as their daughter snuggled with her Dad. Brax caught his wife looking at him.

'What?!', he asked, with that trademark twinkle in his eye.

'I just love how much you adore our baby girl', she replied.

'Well she's a little cutie', Brax said as he placed a kiss on the cheek of his now sound asleep girl.

'And she takes after her gorgeous father', he added, gesturing to his body with his free hand.

He smirked at the expression on Ricky's face.

'Don't flatter yourself Mr Braxton!', she joked.

But in all seriousness, as Ricky looked at her husband, there was no doubt that Celina had inherited many of Brax's features including, apparently, the colour of his eyes, which Ricky had hoped she would. Although of course it was still a little too early to tell for sure. Brax's soft green eyes were one of the many things she loved most about him. Ricky leaned forward for a kiss, her hand resting on Brax's stomach, their daughter in between them, resting in the deep love of her parents.

'No, seriously though, you are the most gorgeous man in the world to me Brax and I adore you. I've always adored you and I always will. You're my darling.'

She cupped his cheek and kissed him again, a little more deeply than the previous kiss.

'And our daughter is as gorgeous as you are', she added.

Brax smiled at the loving words of his wife.

'Nah, she's as beautiful as her mother', Brax told Ricky. 'I love the both of you dearly, you're my whole world and I could never be without either of you.'

He placed tender kisses on his wife and daughter and the family sat enjoying the sun for a bit, Brax making sure Celina was in the shade.

After a while, Ricky put down the book she was reading, realising it was just about time to start supper. She was making Brax's favourite. Ricky looked across at her husband and daughter and smiled. Brax had dropped off to sleep again with their daughter in his arms. And Celina slept on, fast asleep and peaceful on her Dad's chest but she would probably wake soon for a feed. It was time to head inside for the evening. Ricky stood to her feet and gently stroked the back of her hand down Brax's cheek. He woke to her touch.

'Hey sleepyhead, I'm heading inside to make a start on supper. Maybe you could warm a bottle for our little one. There's some expressed milk in the fridge. I'm sure she'll be awake soon and would love to be fed by her Daddy.'

Brax nodded and also stood to his feet, his little girl in his arms still. He laid her down for a minute while he slipped his t-shirt back over his head, before picking her up again and following his wife inside. Although it was tiring work being a parent and he still felt exhausted, Brax felt happier than he had ever been. He and Ricky, with the addition of Celina had created a beautiful little family. Darryl Braxton was a proud husband and a proud Daddy, no doubt about it.

Brax watched with love as Celina, now awake, fed contentedly in his arms, her big wide eyes fixed on her father. Once she'd finished, he gently lifted his daughter up on to his shoulder to wind her, rubbing soft circles on her back with his hand.

'Daddy loves you baby girl', he whispered to her. 'You're my special little one.'

He watched her drift off to sleep again, hoping that tonight, she would sleep for long enough to allow him and his wonderful wife Ricky the chance to cuddle up in bed and get some quality sleep. Ricky had been watching the interactions between father and daughter out of the corner of her eye as she set the table for supper. Brax was all she could have hoped for and more in a father for her children. And it made her fall in love with him even more than she already was. As for Celina, she clearly adored her Daddy. She would take a cuddle with him over anybody else. Brax looked over at his wife and smiled.

'I'm just taking our sleeping baby up to bed', he said quietly to her, so as not to wake their daughter.

Ricky nodded. 'Let's hope she stays like that eh?'

She and Brax kissed before heading separate ways, Brax up the stairs with Celina and Ricky to finish off in the kitchen.

Brax carried Celina upstairs and laid her gently in the cot beside the bed he shared with Ricky. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead as he did so.

'Sleep well princess. I love you.'

Brax sang his daughter a lullaby, unaware that his wife could hear him from downstairs over the baby monitor, and quietly left the room. He headed to the bathroom before going downstairs to the delicious smells of his wife's cooking. He was looking forward to supper with Ricky, the one he had missed out on the previous evening.

Before they sat down to eat, Brax took Ricky in his arms.

'Thank you for giving me a quiet day honey. I really needed it. I love you.'

Ricky smiled at her man and they shared a kiss.

'I love you too darling. You're an amazing husband and an amazing father. And you know something else? You should sing to our baby girl more often.'

Brax shook his head, a light smile on his face before he and Ricky sat down to enjoy some quality time together. And despite their tiredness, with both of them in a romantic mood, they held hands across the table as they ate. Life was, all in all, pretty perfect in the Braxton household.


End file.
